If You Were a Dragon... Miluno

(Miluno)

A blast of cold air rushed into my Battle Dress, and I shivered.

Indoors, Miss Ice Dragon summoned a blizzard mixed with invisible sword energy, far more extreme than pouring water on snowballs during a snowball fight. The already subtle sword energy became completely invisible under the perceptive blizzard, making it difficult even for me to dodge, let alone for Ceruno and the others who couldn't see the situation clearly...

Um, wait a minute.

It seems like I'm the only one getting attacked; Ceruno and the others seem quite safe hiding behind their protective bubbles?

It seems that Miss Ice Dragon's sudden gust of wind was also aimed at me.

She didn't underestimate me; she went all out from the start and even drew Dark Energy from the Black Pool.

Even if Time Acceleration, the temperature would drop, making it impossible to move. The body, which already has a lag, would become even more difficult to fight if frozen.

However, she also left us a way out.

Just follow the path down to leave the Breeding Facility...

She wanted us to back down.

"Ceruno, Bubble Membrane!"

"Oh!"

"Just keep out the wind and conserve your body heat, no need to defend against those sword energies!"

Ceruno held up the Trident, and used the Bubble Membrane to shield me from the wind and snow.

Suddenly, the low temperature in the air seemed to have no effect on me, and my body didn't feel so cold anymore.

To allow the bubble to last longer, I had Ceruno abandon her defense against the invisible sword energy, allowing it to exist only as a windproof shield and insulation layer. Therefore, the invisible sword energy, which is not visible in the wind and snow, can still hurt me, and I can only rely on my thick skin and self-healing ability to withstand it.

Fortunately, I'm pretty resilient. Compared to being slashed, this extreme cold, which challenges the limits of human physiology, is far more deadly.

"Foolish, why don't you understand?"

Amidst the howling snow wind, Miss Ice Dragon's soft whispers drifted over.

"As long as we reform those Monsters from within, there is a possibility of dialogue between the two worlds. Most witches are not without room for communication; they have their own thoughts and preferences, but they are bound by the Dream Murmur of the 'Great Will.' As long as we can break their mental shackles, there will always be a day when the conflict can be resolved. And this path... will result in far fewer sacrifices than a direct war. Do you really want to see the disaster of twelve years ago repeat itself?"

I countered with:

"Does your so-called internal reform... also include assisting the enemy in invading Earth?"

"This is a gradual process, and besides, compared to the most direct acts of burning, killing, and looting, we have already tried to keep casualties to a minimum."

How to keep casualties to a minimum?

Hey, that's as ridiculous as saying "it curbed the rapid rise in housing prices."

"Yet it still caused panic and plunged the world into a dark quagmire. These casualties could have been avoided!"

High-flying kick.

As a result, he kicked into the ice wall that suddenly rose out of nowhere, but his right leg got stuck inside. With only one leg raised, he couldn't exert any force and couldn't pull it out for a while.

"The world is about to end."

Miss Ice Dragon did not seize the opportunity to retaliate, but simply said:

"The Supreme Council also knows its days are numbered, so its actions are becoming increasingly reckless. If I don't find a way to take control of the battle plan, they will do even more insane things, like the battle in the Old District... Without me, the casualties would definitely be much higher."

Is this considered self-aggrandizement?

She's really shameless.

"Are you trying to say that you prevented a terrorist attack by the 'Supreme Council'?"

She nodded.

"That's the truth. A-Ji has been doing her best to minimize casualties. Once she becomes a formal member of the council, she will bring the 'Witch Migration Plan' to the forefront, aiming to provide witches with a way out so they don't fall into a final madness... I dare say that many witches will respond to the call at that time."

An enemy with no way out, one who has burned their bridges, is terrifying.

I understand what he means.

As long as there's still a way to survive, we won't resort to a fight to the death.

The "Supreme Council," whose members are increasingly afraid of death the longer they live, will inevitably include Modified Witch who choose to follow Sun Ji in order to protect themselves. This is human nature. Their choices will set an example for the Monster under their command and also cause those wavering witches to change their minds.

Perhaps, it really is feasible?

She leaped up on one foot, twisted her body violently in mid-air, shattering the ice wall. Using the shattered ice shards as cover, she kicked out again. Just as she was about to kick the abdominal armor, Miss Ice Dragon lowered her head and exhaled a cold breath.

The breath looked like white flames, but it exuded a deep chill that froze everything.

It was just a slight graze, yet even the temperature-insulating air bubbles were covered in frost.

But this is the moment I've been waiting for...

Such a continuous action as exhaling will inevitably leave a huge opening.

Therefore, using the "Future Moment" to flash behind her, he aimed a kick at her slender lower back. To take into account flexibility, the waist armor of the armor was relatively thin, and a skillful kick to the lower back could even cause hemiplegia, which would be perfect for carrying her away.

That was my original plan.

However, she stumbled and fell into the Black Pool with a "plop".

Ah, so the pool surface hasn't frozen over yet?

"Oh no!"

I didn't expect her stance to be so unstable; one flying kick completely depleted her stance gauge.

After it falls, not even a single bubble can be seen...

Will it be rebuilt or evolved like those Guardian?

"Dad?!"

Ceruno hurriedly ran to the edge of the Black Pool.

Sirius, clutching his head, came running over with a motherly expression that said, "Oh, look what a mess you've made!"

"Hey, Miluno, didn't you kick a little too hard? We're here to arrest someone, you know? Did you come here with the intention of kicking your father-in-law to death and then eating his bloodline?"

"I... I really didn't mean to kick her down."

I overestimated her strength, or perhaps underestimated her injuries, but it was also related to her own bluffing.

"If those Guardian thaw, we'll have to prepare..."

Aww--!!!

Before Sirius finished speaking, a rough roar came from beneath the Black Mud, and a huge white dragon surged out from it, spiraling upwards—it was the Eastern Dragon.

Although it emerged from the Black Pool, it was not stained with any Black Mud, and even swallowed up the pervasive black mist. Even the naked eye could look up at its winding dragon body.

The phrase "rising from the mud unsullied" probably describes this feeling quite well.

A silver dragon coils in the sky, its white scales gleaming, its whiskers like cherry blossoms and its eyes blue, its breath as cold as frost and as fiery as fire.

The Ice Dragon Lady, having been baptized in the "Black Pool," is even more majestic than the Giant Deer form of Fomalhaut.

"... A-Ji?"

Sirius made a tentative call, but the latter immediately unleashed a thick column of Ice Dragon breath.

Wow! Has she gone crazy too?

Has their mind been consumed by an excessive amount of negative energy, becoming part of the "Great Will"?

Ceruno held up a bubble to block the breath attack and asked the Shark Princess beside her:

"Miss Water Achernar, could you please try communicating with it?"

The latter was puzzled.

Why do you think I'm good at communication?

"Um, aren't Shark Dragon and dragons closely related?"